Adhyāya 17: Agnicayana, continued

The food and strength contained in stone and mountain, drink gathered from the plants and trees and waters.

Agni, may these bricks be mine own milch kine : one, and

Ye are the Seasons, strengthening Law, fixed in due saasott,

With the lake's mantling need we robe thee, Agni : to us

With cold's investing garb we gird thee, Agni : to us be puri-

Desceod upon the earth, the reed, the rivers : fhoii art the gall, Agni, of the waters. With them came hither, jfeimle Prog, and render this sacri- fice of ours bright-hued, successful.

He draws then along from the north to the south shoulder.

He draws them over the right wtog of the altar. The formula is taken

So, Agui, purifying, bright, bring hither to our sacrifice, To oar oblation biing tite Gods.

He who with purifying, eye-attracting form hath shone up-

Obeisance to thy wratti and glow 1 Obeisance to thy fiery

Mounted on the altar he offBrs an oblation, on the chief Porous brick, of clarified batter taken in five huUef uls, prononnciug five formulas. Wko dmUe in man : Agni. seated as vital breath in human beings. Hail I : vet, a sacrificial eKclaiuatton of unknown derivation, somewhat similar to taskat.

Worshipful Gods of Gods who merit worship, those who sit

Those Gods who have attained to Godhead over Gods, they

Giver of breath, of out-breath, breath diffusive, giver of

May Agni with his sharpened blaze cast down each fierce

He who sate down as Uotar priest, the Kishi, our Father

What was the place whereon he took his station ? What was

He who hath eyes on all sides round about him, a mouth ou

What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from

Thine highest, lowest sacrificial natures, and these thy

Bring Earth und Hmoen to worship : or, sacrifice to them.

The Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these

Mighty in mind and power U Visvakarman, Maker, Disposer,

Father who made us, he who, as Disposer, knoweth all races

Distant^ near, and lowei* region : meaning, apparently, the heaveoly^ the earthly, hikI the intermediate atmosphere.

That which is earlier than this earth and heaven, before the

The waters, thev received that germ primeval wherein the

Ye will not find him who produced these creatures : another

First wus the God engendered, Visvakarman : then tho

Swift, rapidly striking, like a bull who sharpens his horus^

With him loud-roaritig, ever watobfdl, Victor, bold^ hard t»

He rules with those wht> catTy shafts and qaivers, Iiidra who

Bfihaspati, fly with thy chariot hither, slayer of demons,

Conspicuous by thy strength, firm, foremost fighter, mighty

Cleaver of stalls, kine-wiuuer, ai-med with thunder, who quells

Piercing the cow-stalls with surpassiug vigour, Indra, the

Indra guide these : Brihaspati precede them, the guerdon,

Ours be the potent host of mighty Indra, King Vanina, and

Bristle thou up, Bounteous Lord, our weapons : excite the

May Indra aid us when our flags are gathered : victorious be

Bewildering the seuses of our foemen, seize thou their bodies

Loosed from the bowstring fly away, Arrow, sharpened by

Advance, heroes, win the day. May Indra be your sure

That army of our enemies, Maruts, that comes against

There where the flights of arrows fall like boys whose locks

Thy vital parts I cover with thine armour : with immor-

Worshipped with butter, Agni, lead this man to high pre-

Indra, lead him to eminence : controller of his foes be he. Vouchsafe him lustre : let him give their sacred portions to

The man within whose house we pay oblation, Indra, prosper

May the All-Gods, Agni, bear and lift thee upward with

May the Five Regions guard, divine, our worship. Goddesses

Inspirited above enkindled Agni, adorable, winged with

Lord of a hundred draughts, benign, God-serving— to him

When the fourth sacrifice reaches the oblation, accepted offer-

Savitar, golden-hued, hath lifted eastward, bright with the

He Bits, the measurer, in the tcucldt of heaven, ^ttmg tbe two

He puts three logs of Udumbara wood on the fire^ with a formula for each.

All sacred Bongs have glorified Indra expansive as the sea, The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the Very Lord

May God-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitherward to usu May bless-invoking sacrifice bring the Gods hitberwai'd to us. May Agui, God, make offering fuid hither bring the Gods to

May the abundant growth of wealth with eievation Uft> nae

Upraising and depression and devotion may the Gods iDcroase. May Indra, too, and Agui drive my foes awa»y to every side.

They mount the altar. Ukhya: the fire contained in the pan.

Agni, go forward to the eastmi iiegiaD, well-dulled, be here the fire in front of Agui. Illuming all the quartern, »hine with^piendoinr : supply with food our quadrupeds and bipeds.

FroBft earth to air's mid-region bave I mounted, and from

MouDtmg the sky they look not round : they rise to heaven

Foremost of those who seek the Gods come forward, thou

Night and Dawn, differeut in hue, accordant, etc., as in XII. 2.

thousand-eyed and hund red-hen ded, thy breaths are hundred, thy through-breaths a thouttatid.

Thou art the EM of goodly wing : be seated on the ridge

Receiving offerings, fair of aspect, eastward be duly seated

That wondrous all-mankind'Cmbracing favour of Savitar,

Miy we adore thee in thy loftiest birth place, Agni ! with

Shine thou before us, Agni, well enkindled, with flame, most

Agni, this day with lauds, etc., as in XV. 44.

I dedicate the thought with mind and butter so that the

Seven fuel logs hast thou, seven tongues, Agni, seven Rishis

Purely-Bright, Wonderfully-Bright, Really-Bright, AU-La-

Such, Other-Looking, Equal, Similar, Measured, Commen-

Right, Real, Firm, Strong-to-Support, Bearer, Disposer,

Winner-of-Rlght, Winner-of-Truth, Host-Conquering, Lord-

Self-Powerful, Voracious-One, Kin-to*tbe-Sun, The House- holder,

Drink in the middle of the flood, Agni, this breast stored

Oil hath been mixed : oil is his habitation. In oil he rests :

Forth from the ocean sprang the wave of sweetness : together

Let us Declare aloud the name of Ghiita, and at this sacrifice

Four are hU horns, three are the feet that bear him : his

That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered laid down with-

Tilt Golden Beed : Celestial Agni.

Like rivers our libations flow together, cleansing themselves

As rushing down the rapids of a river, flow swifter than the

To him in sacriBoe they offered treasnres, — Bishia of oW, ia numerous troops, as singers, Who, in the distant, near, and lower region, made ready dSX these things that have existence.

The universe depends upon thy power and might within the